North of the Border: Are Nonnative Species Moving Northward As the Climate Changes?
A naturalized species has two ranges. The first range is the one where the species lives in its native habitat. The second range is the one where the species is naturalized, surviving in a nonnative area without the help of humans. Species are more able to survive east to west across the globe, but are limited by latitude. The scientists in this study wanted to answer this question: Are naturalized species’ latitudinal ranges the same, larger, or smaller than their native ranges?
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The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: What are general patterns, if any, between the native and naturalized ranges of 25 plant species? This FACTivity includes an extension...FACTivity – North of the Border
The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: What are general patterns, if any, between the native and naturalized ranges of 25 plant species? This FACTivity includes an extension...
Glossary
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Qinfeng Guo
My most exciting discovery? I recently completed a study reporting the richness and distribution of invasive and other documented hybrid plants in the United States. The results show that, similar...View Profile -
Hong Qian
Botanist and Ecologist: My favorite science experience is finding out what causes different species to live in different areas worldwide. One of the most interesting questions is what causes the...View Profile
Standards addressed in this Article:
Social Studies Standards
- Culture
- Global Connections
- People, Places, and Environments
- Time, Continuity, and Change
Note To Educators
The Forest Service's Mission
The Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more than 100 years, our motto has been “caring for the land and serving people.” The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes its responsibility to be engaged in efforts to connect youth to nature and to promote the development of science-based conservation education programs and materials nationwide.
What Is the Natural Inquirer?
Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used by students in grade 6 and up. Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and natural resource research conducted by Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These scientific journal articles have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities. The goal of Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while teaching about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.
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Meet the Scientists
Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.
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What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?
Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.
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Thinking About Science
Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.
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Thinking About the Environment
Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.
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Introduction
Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.
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Method
Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.
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Findings & Discussion
Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.
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Reflection Section
Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.
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Number Crunches
Presents an easy math problem related to the research.
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Glossary
Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.
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Citation
Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.
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FACTivity
Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.
Science Education Standards
You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.
We Welcome Feedback
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Contact
Jessica Nickelsen
Director, Natural Inquirer program -
Email
Education Files
Project Learning Tree
If you are a Project Learning Tree-trained educator, you may use Invasive Species, as an additional resource.
Related Resources from the Natural Inquirer
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In “Grow Where You’re Planted,” students will learn about how different planting elevations can affect Jeffrey and ponderosa pines’ survival, growth, and bud development timing. As part of the Moon...Grow Where You’re Planted – Vol. 1 No. 24
In “Grow Where You’re Planted,” students will learn about how different planting elevations can affect Jeffrey and ponderosa pines’ survival, growth, and bud development timing. As part of the Moon... -
The scientists in this study were interested in trees that live in the Eastern United States. They wanted to explore how the habitat of these trees might change in the...Moving on Up: The Possible Impact of Climate Change on Forest Habitats
The scientists in this study were interested in trees that live in the Eastern United States. They wanted to explore how the habitat of these trees might change in the...
Additional Resources
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USDA Forest Service: "Trees on the move: A scientific effort to adapt to climate change"
Read ArticleWhen thinking of the term migration, the mind envisions seasonal bird journeys or perhaps historical human movement around the globe. However, scientists at the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station are studying another type of migration—the movement of trees and how that relates to climate change.
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Eastern Forest Threat Assessment Center Bookmarks
Visit WebsiteView PDF’s of available bookmarks.
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Eastern Forest Threat Assessment Center Fact Sheets
Visit WebsiteView PDF’s of available fact sheets.